by Julie Hauserman
|
 |
|
Baby Ruth, rear, and No-Knees Louise will live out their days in peace and comfort.© Gilbert/The HSUS |
Mindy Gilbert has a soft spot for elderly pets. So when she responded to a horrible case of animal hoarding and found two old Chihuahuas, she knew she had to adopt them.
“For me, there’s always been something about taking in elderly pets,” says Gilbert, Alabama state director for The Humane Society of the United States.
“We don’t know all the things they’ve been through, and some of it may not be good. I like letting them not have to be worried during that last period of their life.”
Holding On
“Baby Ruth” is thought to be 17 years old, and “No-Knees Louise” is thought to be 14 years old, said Gilbert, who lives in Jasper, Ala.
“In between them, they have about six hairs and 14 teeth,” she joked. “These two little old ladies would probably not be suitable for adoption at the shelter” due to their special needs, she said.
|
 |
|
Over the years, Gilbert has adopted many elderly dogs in need of a loving home—and she feels most fortunate to have them as part of her family. Read more» |
Now that they’ve had medical care and pampering at Gilbert’s home, Baby Ruth and No-Knees Louise are getting their second winds.
“They are going through a second puppy hood. It’s like they’ve been reborn. They were left without care for so long. They are eating well and they are learning to use the dog door.”
Rescued From Cruelty
The Chihuahuas were among 65 dogs and four birds discovered in a hoarding case in Tallapoosa County, southeast of Montgomery. The dogs might never have been rescued if Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Arrington hadn’t noticed something odd when he went to serve a notice of foreclosure on a mobile home in late August.
In the yard, he saw a dog with a prolapsed uterus, and a mangy and neglected cat, Gilbert said. He began asking questions about the owner’s pets and called in The HSUS to respond. The animals were crammed into a filthy mobile home.
All were brought to animal shelters, given medical attention, and are being offered for adoption.
Except the two old lady Chihuahuas, that is. They've joined the rest of Gilbert's motley crew, running up to the door and barking at the mailman—just because they can!
